1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to protective devices for shielding the face from solar radiation, wind, snow, flying objects, caustic liquids, and other forces. Specifically, it relates to sportglasses which provide more effective protection against these forces.
2. Prior Art
Generations ago, suntans had a negative social image because they were obtained only by laborers who toiled outdoors. Avoiding the sun was therefore very important. Women wore wide hats and carried umbrellas to shield themselves from sunlight.
In the recent past, people became aware of the benefits of exercise. Those who played sports, such as football, and participated in aerobic activities, such as jogging, generally did so outdoors on sunny days. As a result, active and healthy people who exercised had tanned faces and bodies. For this reason, and because the affluent could afford vacation travel to sunbelt areas, suntans acquired a positive social image of good health and prosperity. Suntanning became extremely popular. People laid under the sun and even went to "tanning parlors" to get tanned without exercising.
However, in recent years the medical profession has determined that tanning may age skin prematurely and cause skin cancer, because the ultraviolet portion of sunlight is extremely damaging to living tissue. Thus the medical profession is now vigorously educating the public about the harmful effects of solar radiation. Accelerated skin aging manifests itself as discoloration, roughness, sagging, and wrinkling. Skin cancer, the most dangerous form of which is melanoma, is often fatal. These facts have greatly heightened people's awareness about the subject and seriously tarnished the image of the "perfect tan". Now, people, especially those with light complexions, generally seek protection from the sun.
Many products are available to help protect our faces from the sun's rays. Broad-brimmed hats can shield a face from overhead sunlight. However, they cannot prevent rays at a low angle from reaching the face. Furthermore, up to 85% of sunlight can be reflected onto a face from surfaces such as concrete, sand, snow, and water. In addition, carrying a wide hat can be very inconvenient. Therefore, the hat is inadequate because of its limited coverage, while its obtrusiveness tends to reduce people's unwillingness to use it.
Sunblock skin-lotions are more widely used to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. They can be applied to many parts of the body to provide maximum coverage. But sunblocks can be washed off by perspiration and be absorbed by the skin. Therefore, they are effective only for a limited amount of time, generally less than a few hours. They must be constantly reapplied to maintain protection and lotions with a higher SPF (Sun-Protection Factor) must be used. This inconvenience tends to reduce people's willingness to use the products. People with sun-sensitive skin often are also very sensitive to the chemicals that make up the sunblock lotions. As a result, sunblocks are ironically not a viable choice for the people who need protection the most. For example, the present patentee, who has a light complexion, was often sunburned from reflected light while wearing a hat and sportglasses and could not use sunscreen lotions because of allergies. Also, persons who have photo sensitive skin conditions, such as rosacea, lupus, polymorphous light eruption, and facial skin cancer, have no effective and practicable protective means available to shield their skins.
Perhaps the most popular form of facial sun protection is sportglasses. Common types are about the same size as prescription glasses. They are quite small and are extremely convenient to put on, remove, and carry. However, their convenient small size is also their greatest drawback because they protect just the eyes and the eyelids. Since many people often do not or cannot wear sunblock in addition to sportglasses, the rest of their faces are left exposed to harmful sunlight.
A number of attempts have been made to provide facial protection above that provided by ordinary sportglasses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,125 to Phillips (1985) shows eyeglasses which clip on to the underside of a cap visor. These glasses have relatively large lenses which provide coverage over the eyes and the cheeks. However, they still leave much of the face exposed. Moreover, they must be used with a cap.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,037,772 to Everett et al. (1936) and 4,786,159 to Piazza et al. (1988) show eyeglasses of average size with nosepieces which shield the nose. However, the extra coverage provided over simple sportglasses is minimal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,385,405 to Crowther (1945), 2,395,297 to Shock (1946), 3,705,760 to Langendorfer et al. (1972), and 5,012,527 (1991) to Michel show goggles which are fitted closely with the face. They wrap around the eyes and cover the cheeks down to the level at about the base of the nose. Some cover the nose, while some do not, but all leave the sides or cheeks of the face exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 274,385 to Newcomb (1984) shows a face shield which attaches to ski goggles with hook-and-loop fasteners. The shield covers the nose, upper lip, and under part of the eyes, but not the cheeks. Because the shield must be used with ski goggles, it is not at all versatile.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,669,717 to Diggs (1954), 3,298,031 to Morgan (1967) and 4,944,039 to Dietrich (1990) show face shields with are attached to ordinary eye glasses. Intended for use in workshops or industrial situations for protection against flying debris or caustic liquids, the shields hang like curtains from the glasses to cover the whole front of the face down to the chin, but not the sides or cheeks. Because they cover the nose and mouth, they impair breathing and speaking. Therefore, they are practically and esthetically unsuitable for consumer applications.
All these devices either cover only the top half of the face such as the eyes, nose, and cheeks, or the whole front of the face down to the chin. Even with the devices which provide the greatest coverage, the sides or cheeks of the face are left uncovered. This exposes those areas to harmful ultraviolet radiation and its effects, such as accelerated skin aging and skin cancer. Moreover, those devices which cover the whole front of the face impair breathing and speaking.